installed the latest Debian kernel (from experimental) & the current
xserver-xorg-video-intel (from unstable): boots, gives me KMS
& a working X (with my own kernels I had no KMS and just a black screen
with newer versions of xserver-xorg-video-intel).

with the Debian kernel I've also entered the libata era
:)

created my own linux-kbuild-2.6.37 package following the instructions
(& changing the script a bit) in order to be able to use
virtualbox-ose-dkms.

a few days
ago I was quite happy with 2.6.37-rc5-686 because
ath5k suddenly works.
but.
but then I found out that it turns off the screen so effectively (after the
screensaver, so in DPMS standby/suspend/off) that it stays black.
not good.
ok, let's try (vanilla) 2.6.37-rc7. – no DKMS & no X.
not good.
let's apply a friendly patch from the Debian kernel. – DKMS & X
are back. but DPMS still leaves the screen black. also when invoked manually
with xset.
not good.
let's ask a search engine. – oh, a known bug: 22672. hm. at
least the workaround (close lid / suspend to RAM) works. & turning off
DPMS (in xscreensaver & laptopmode) obviously helps.
but then my poor noseguy can't stop
wandering around the screen ...
don't we all love the blood^Wbleeding edge?

ath5k has never worked for me – until today. I installed
linux-image-2.6.37-rc5-686 from experimental & lo&behold
– it works!
that means I can say goodbye to good old (& non-free)
madwifi. but before discovering that ath5k works I
had already finished an upgrade of my private madwifi package
& it seems I even managed to build a madwifi-dkms package
finally.
I've uploaded it to my private repository for the poor
sods who still can't use ath5k :)& maybe the
madwifi-dkms package helps people who forget (how) to run
m-a after installing a new kernel ...